Lady Trojans turning the corner

When Arcanum Lady Trojan head coach Rachel Fearon puts her 2013-14 team on the floor, it may
very well see two seniors and three sophomores in the starting five. Don't be fooled, these five could
be deadly. Pictured above is Abby O'Donnell. CNO Photos by George Starks and Dylan Knoop

Fearon positive about the future
By George Starks

ARCANUM - In her first year at the helm, Arcanum coach Rachel Fearon suffered through the pains of transition. In the 2011-12 season, the Trojans celebrated just three victories with only one Cross County Conference victory.

Now that the 2012-13 year has concluded, the Trojans were 10-11 on the season at the time of this writing, with one game left to play before the start of sectional action.

With the spring comes graduation, and on Saturday, the Trojans watched their three seniors say goodbye in their last ever home game at Arcanum.

When the 2013-14 season comes along, Fearon will have plenty to get excited about.

The Trojans will be led by their top gun in senior Abby O’Donnell.

As a junior, O’Donnell has been a force for Fearon and in that final home game; the standout player scored 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in a senior day victory over Milton Union.

Now that the 2013 season is nearly complete, the Trojans have done a 180 and the ship is sailing a much truer course.

Has the Lady Trojan program turned the corner in Arcanum?

“I think so,” said Fearon. “They come out every night and they play their hearts out. I can’t say that about last year. They did play hard but this team has taken the turn. We are more patient with the basketball and we can handle pressure. It’s just gaining another year of confidence for these girls.”

With the loss of seniors Morgan Buck, Hannah Prestel and Rebecca Denniston, Fearon will welcome back five players that could be a force in the Cross County Conference.

Returning from the starting five will be four of those players in juniors Abby O’Donnell and Josie Weaver. In addition, freshman Alexis Abner and Rebecca Deao will be there.

Both Deao and Abner were mainstays in the Trojan starting lineup. Add to that another freshman that spent a ton of time on the junior varsity, Abby Ross will be a big asset to the Trojan attack.

This year, with one game left on the schedule, the Trojans were 10-11 overall and 6-6 in the conference.

Going .500 on the season was the goal of the team.

A goal that could be obtained, depending on the outcome of the Tuesday night game at Greenon.

“The seniors I’m losing have the biggest hearts in the world,” said Fearon. “They have been great role models for the younger players this year. They have taken them under their wing and taken care of them. They will be greatly missed and I’m sad to see them go.”

With the Trojans turning the corner, the girls in Arcanum will look to embark on a winning season in 2014 and possibly a run at a CCC title.